Houdini,
The one thing about the no filter is, to use only non-detergent oil! The dirty crud sits down in the pan. If you use detergent oil, it could possibly start to break up the crud, and move it around the block.
While I had mine apart, I coated all surfaces that don't move with GE Glyptal winding paint. When dried it makes a hard smooth finish, and allows the oil a less restrictive path back to the sump. My personal choice! You can see it in my head pics in my bucket.
Jim
